Tor of daniel adamson



3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

D. ADAMSON, Decd. J. L. NORRIS, Administrator. GUN MOUNTING. No. 519,965. Pgfpented May 15, 1894.

Pg I @h/fi uwfi- UNITED STATES PATENT Orrron.

JAMES L. NORRIS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ADMINISTRA- TOR OF DANIEL ADAMSON, DECEASED, ASSIG-NOB TO THE ADAMSON GUN SYNDICATE, LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 519,965, dated. May 15, 1894. Application filed July 27,1893. Serial No. 481,630. (No model.) Patented in England July 11, 1888, No. 10,061.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that DANIEL ADAMSON, deceased, late a subject of the Queen of. Great Britain, and a resident of Didsbury, county of Chester, England, (JAMES L. NORRIS, of

Washington, District of Columbia, administrator of said ADAMSON,) did during his lifetime invent new and useful Improvements in Field-Guns and other Ordnance, of which the following is a specification, and for which Letters Patent of Great Britain were obtained July 11, 1888,-No. 10,061.

This invention relates to field guns and other ordnance and the objects of my invention are, r 5 first, to mount guns in such manner that they will be capable of covering a Wide area or range and can be quickly trained and laid into position ready for firing, and changed from one angle to another as required with- 2 out interference with or moving the mounting or carriage of the gun: and, second, to provide means for quickly and accurately locking the gun in position after sighting and before firing. These objects are attained by the construction and mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1, is a side elevation, the framing of the mounting being shown dotted; Fig. 2, a sectional plan on center line of the gun and 0 its mounting. Fig. 3, isasectiononline 00-1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is a section on line yz, of Fig. 2.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. 3 5 According to this invention the usual trunnions on the gun are dispensed with and in their stead the gun is formed-about the part to be supported, (viz.,.its center of gravity) of increased diameter, and the said part is 0 turned or otherwise made spherical and such spherical portion is fitted into a clip composed of two, four, or any suitable number of plates, blocks or parts, each having a spherical concavity corresponding to and of the same radius as the spherical part of the gun, the said block or parts being secured together and fixed to and forming part of the mounting of the gun. For locking the gun in position after sight ing, wedge bolts are provided which are fitted 5c in the clip and when brought into action bear against the said spherical portion of the gun thereby causing the clip to grip the gun securely and hold it absolutely steady after it has been sighted and before it is fired. By the combination of the spherical portion on the gun and the clip fitting same a ball and socket or modified form of universal joint is obtained which allows the gun to be directed over a wide vertical and lateral range and through all intermediate angles, while it can be readily adjusted to a true horizontal position irrespective of any angle at which the mounting or carriage may lie through inequalities of the ground.

Referring to the drawings, a, is the body of the gun: a the spherical portion formed thereon. The clip into which the part a is fittedis composed of one or more pairs or groups of plates, blocks or parts. Two pairs, 19 b, b b are illustrated, and each pair is suit ably hollowed to correspond with and fit well upon the spherical portion a. All the blocks are mounted in a slide=way formed by the angle-plates c c which are secured to a portion d, Fig. 2, of the gun carriage. The blocks b b are held together by the bolts e e in such manner that by tightening up the nuts 6' e on the said bolts e e the blocksb b are drawn together. The slide-way and bolts are illustrated as arranged vertically, but they may equivalently be arranged horizontally, if desired.

For locking the gun securely and accurately in position readyfor firing wedge shaped pieces it are employed which are formed on their inner sides so as to fit well upon the spherical portion a and each has a screwed shank 10 passing through the block b and supported suitably in the carriage frame. The screwed shanks k arefitted into nuts 11. n, fixed to wrench bars Z with hand wheels Z by turning which the shanks k are drawn up and so operate the wedges to bind securely on the spherical portion a and so look the gun in position.

One simple construction of clip and one method of fixing the gun when sighted and before firing have been described, but the in= vention is not limited to any particular con= struction of these parts since any suitable I00 forms may be employed without departing from the nature of the invention.

What is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a field gun or other ordnance, the combination of a spherical portion a formed on the gun in lieu of trunnions, and a clip of corresponding spherical form internally, and bear ng upon and supporting said spherical portlon of the gun and adapted to grip and lock the gun firmlyin position when required, the said spherical portion and the clip constltuting a form of ball and socket or modified universal joint, substantially as shown and for the purpose specified.

2. In a field gun or other ordnance the combination with a spherical portion formed on the gun in lieu of trunnions and a corresponding spherical clip, of Wedge pieces 70 7c and means for operating them to grip and lock the gun, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES L. NORRIS, Administrator of the estate of Daniel Adamson, deceased. Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. KlRBY, THOMAS A. GREEN. 

